Amazing to me that so many just don't get it. James Washington is going to be part of the trio of WRs who plays probably 65% of the snaps as a rookie.

Jaylin Samuels could very well find himself playing a variety of roles, from HB, FB, H-back, TE, slot WR.

Vance McDonald is being counted upon to be that dangerous TE in the passing game.

To Pouncey's point, yeah, maybe Ben does not need OTA's, which I disagree with, but Washington, Samuels and McDonald need all the reps they can get, need all the passes thrown to them by Ben that they can get, so that the chemistry develops between themselves and Ben.

They need to know what it is like with Ben throwing passes to them, the speed, the velocity, the spin of the football. Does he put too much on the ball at times? When? Does he place the ball to where you can run through the catch? Do they as players need to make adjustments for Ben, does Ben need to learn their tendencies of how they catch the ball, how they track the ball? Sure all of the above and more, much, much more.

It is great that Ben has a great rapport with Brown and with JuJu and Bell, but there are new players now, that are going to be counted upon heavily this season.

So, yeah, Ben may not think it is important to be around, but all he is doing is perhaps self-fulfilling what he fears, another slow start to the season where everybody is not on the same page, etc.

This offseason, the OTAs, it starts here dumbass, and here you are and Brown too, blowing things off, as usual.

It's not Ben that doesn't think he needs to around. AB said the team asked Ben/AB not to participate in this stage, so that the younger guys can hit the ground running when later dates leave less room to be getting acclimated.

Wait a minute...so the team doesn't want their two best players and supposed leaders to attend OTA's? Where was that said? If that is true then this team has a true leadership problem at all levels.

Or, the leadership on the team decided that you're wrong, OTA's aren't for everyone, and they're using them the way they see fit, to help the players that need the reps the most. There are only a limited amount. You guys want to make this into Friday Night Lights. It isn't. The star quarterback doesn't need to be taking reps away from the developing young ones. Same with the star receiver. Bell is doing them a favor when it comes to evaluating the RBs and teaching technique from college to pro. Or are you arguing that Ben's presence at the Dave and Buster's outing was, in fact, essential to the process of winning a championship?

Or, the leadership on the team decided that you're wrong, OTA's aren't for everyone, and they're using them the way they see fit, to help the players that need the reps the most. There are only a limited amount. You guys want to make this into Friday Night Lights. It isn't. The star quarterback doesn't need to be taking reps away from the developing young ones. Same with the star receiver. Bell is doing them a favor when it comes to evaluating the RBs and teaching technique from college to pro. Or are you arguing that Ben's presence at the Dave and Buster's outing was, in fact, essential to the process of winning a championship?

This.

Way too much bitching and moaning about nothing. Reduced OTAs means extremely limited time for players to get reps. The all pros aren't going to fall off the wagon while the lesser experienced players need all the time they can get.

Oh, and for Christ's sake don't bitch about them needing to be around to learn the system the "new OC" is installing.

Its like if you weren't wetting the bed over this you wouldn't know what to post. Quit grasping at imaginary straws to complain about.

_________________

R S wrote:

I'm sure she still wakes up in cold sweats and night terrors of Peyton's wrinkly ball sack pitter-pattering on her forehead.

Last edited by StillMadAtSlobber on Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The most experienced guy in this secondary has 2 years. They're crying about not having chemistry last year. How you going to get it if you don't practice.

The defensive backs are all attending and working out. It was mentioned earlier in the thread. There was an article quoting Joe Haden about it. Like Obviously said, the players who need reps are getting them. That's the point.

DeCastro is a vet. makes good money. Pro bowler. Foster too. Pouncey, Cam Heyward, Tuitt.....why are all those guys there? They taking reps from the rooks too? I bet they love being there so much they couldn't stay away. Or maybe they suck it up and show up wondering why the fuck am I here if Ben and AB aren't?

I think you know that there are entirely new rules on line play this season that are going to require getting used to, and that line play in general is far more about cohesion than QB or WR, but hey, if you want to keep justifying your silly "Ben isn't dedicated enough" agenda into the ground, without a single relevant (outside of HS football) fact to support it, keep it coming. Nobody on your chosen professional football team agrees with you.

For those keeping score, after missing yesterday's crucial excursion to Dave and Buster's, Ben and AB have continued to fail to adequately prepare themselves for glory this season by missing today's super-critical high school gymnasium autograph session.

Its funny, because i've already heard several ex-NFLer's, not HS footballers like yourself , comment on the lack of leadership it shows. Which has been a pretty big issue with this team if you haven't noticed. It's the Madden football crowd that continues to believe a group of talented individuals can go out and win big games against cohesive teams.

And high school gymnasium autograph sessions are undeniably crucial. Think it was Lombardi who said that.

Honestly, the team told the two players you're railing against to stay away, and all you're offering against that are apples to oranges comparisons with offensive linemen, who need the reps, platitudes and the testimony of "former NFLers" that were probably ham n eggers, anyway. Or Reggie Bush with airtime to fill on a 24 hour NFL network with no games being played for 3 months.

If they fall short in the playoffs this year, at least we won't have to debate the reasons why. It will be lack of skee ball participation in late May. Might as well not even play the season. Thank God I didn't fork over any cash for tickets this year.

It's really not a debate to me. We all know that when your star players are present is makes for a better environment for all players and coaches. Inspiration/Motivation?! Ben doesn't have to take snaps/reps or have to throw everyday. Just being there holding the clipboard, showing support, assisting in coaching up Landry, Rudolph and Dobbs giving them pointers interacting with his WR corps and just having fun throwing the ball around lightly is great and establishes a good report. Same thing in AB's case. Bell is a trainwreck right now but even still, if Bell is there he could help his teammates without having to take all the reps. Helping their teammates helps themselves down the road is all I've been promoting being better as a unit. I agree with the RS post and add, nothing wrong with going to Dave and Busters with the guys and letting off some OTA steam either. That was voluntary as well. No one had to show up for the annual Dave and Busters retreat. Going and hanging out shows a kind of mutual respect and brotherhood. Work hard, play hard right? I know it sounds all too serious. Actions speak loudly for me. In the end when you want to win..., no practice and opportunity to interact with your teammates is too insignificant. Y'all have your point of view and I have mine. We can agree to disagree regarding OTA's. Minicamps are next. I suspect they'll be in attendance then.

_________________"Tomlin?? The guy is a massive fraud, hes no leader of men, hes an enabler of clowns." GreekSteel

For me, what it comes down to is, if these grown men playing for money need Ben and AB at Dave and Buster's, or holding clipboards, or high-fiving them in order to succeed, we've probably got the wrong players anyway; reps are more important for the players who really need them than they are for 10-year All-Pro veterans, and that we'll probably have to agree to disagree on this issue.

The sharing of the experiences in combat is what I'm talking about. Ideas about what one might/could face in a certain scenario. What worked, how it was successful and the way it unfolded. What not to do, why it was unsuccessful. Simply building a report with your WR corps, timing and trust process started. The sooner you get that ball rolling the better. Not for those star players setting a new high score at the basketball toss over at some kids pizza place. Or shooting 16 rounds at the local course. How does that establish any report? But since we got the labeling crew throwing out nouns like bedwetters wanting to split hairs that OTA's don't mean shit? Always room to improve your craft. Especially since practices are numbered during the season and there are new faces. In the end, I don't care how many backhanded comments are made, we simply agree to disagree.

_________________"Tomlin?? The guy is a massive fraud, hes no leader of men, hes an enabler of clowns." GreekSteel

I mean, there are considerably fewer teams in the league every year that go out of their practice facilities for training camp. The Steelers maintain a steadfast stance on going down to Latrobe every summer, so team building is forced through dorm living, etc, rather than doing it on their own turf, at a much better equipped practice facility in Pittsburgh, where players can go home to kids, friends and family every night after practice. They do this specifically for team building purposes; everything mentioned in this thread. I think they've shown as a team and an organization over the years, a commitment to that kind of thing. More so than many other teams in the league.

For those keeping score, after missing yesterday's crucial excursion to Dave and Buster's, Ben and AB have continued to fail to adequately prepare themselves for glory this season by missing today's super-critical high school gymnasium autograph session.

I just can't see how Ben and AB will get it together if they miss movie night!

_________________

R S wrote:

I'm sure she still wakes up in cold sweats and night terrors of Peyton's wrinkly ball sack pitter-pattering on her forehead.

For those keeping score, after missing yesterday's crucial excursion to Dave and Buster's, Ben and AB have continued to fail to adequately prepare themselves for glory this season by missing today's super-critical high school gymnasium autograph session.

I just can't see how Ben and AB will get it together if they miss movie night!

Nope. Coaches told him to not attend fearing he'd choke on a popcorn kernel or have nightmares.....

_________________"Tomlin?? The guy is a massive fraud, hes no leader of men, hes an enabler of clowns." GreekSteel

For those keeping score, after missing yesterday's crucial excursion to Dave and Buster's, Ben and AB have continued to fail to adequately prepare themselves for glory this season by missing today's super-critical high school gymnasium autograph session.

I just can't see how Ben and AB will get it together if they miss movie night!

Nope. Coaches told him to not attend fearing he'd choke on a popcorn kernel or have nightmares.....

Word has it that the team activity tonight is going for sushi/hibachi dinner, and Ben and AB are excused due to the insane coincidence that both suffer from acute consecotaleophobia. Statisticians put the likelihood of two consecotalephobiacs on the same NFL team as 14.3 times less than having two players suffering from alopecia in the same situation.

Word has it that the team activity tonight is going for sushi/hibachi dinner, and Ben and AB are excused due to the insane coincidence that both suffer from acute consecotaleophobia. Statisticians put the likelihood of two consecotalephobiacs on the same NFL team as 14.3 times less than having two players suffering from alopecia in the same situation.

hilaroius. Thanks for that

_________________"I wish Fraudlin would get testicular cancer and die after he watches me anally penetrate his wife."

The Steelers are tied with the Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders at No. 2. Here are the first-round picks on the roster.

Ben Roethlisberger | Quarterback

David DeCastro | Guard

Maurkice Pounce | Center

Ryan Shazier | Linebacker

Bud Dupree | Linebacker

T.J. Watt | Linebacker

Cam Heyward | Defensive line

Tyson Alualu | Defensive line

Artie Burns | Cornerback

Joe Haden | Cornerback

Terrell Edmunds | Safety

Only cornerback Joe Haden and defensive lineman Tyson Alualu weren’t drafted by the Steelers front office. And if you look at the other first-round picks drafted since Ben Roethlisberger — the oldest player on the list — you will see that guys like Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, Lawrence Timmons and Rashard Mendenhall were all important players for this team. https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2018/ ... he-roster/

Nice player compilation. Anyway, just goes to show folks that it doesn't really matter who is on your team if they don't have that continuity, trust in each other and team mentality the championships are still unattainable because somewhere another team is better in those regards. Even with 'lesser' talent.